On The Road With Ramona: travelogue

Showing posts with label travelogue. Show all posts

Understanding love and attachment...

There wasn't much to do in Ajmer besides visit the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. Well that's what I'd have thought if not for some 20 odd people insisting I see this institution, this legendary landmark they call their Almamater. And so, I did just that. I went to Mayo.

As it turns out, I had a few friends from my college days that were in Mayo, but the number of friends I'd had for years that also turned out to be Mayoites was an insane surprise! Add to that, all the new friends I made on my journey so far, who were also obviously Mayoites. I didn't realise until that moment, that my life was suddenly full of them! Every single one of them without exception, so passionate about their boarding school, swearing love, loyalty and allegiance to it - far more than I've ever had the pleasure of receiving from all the men in my life! Jokes apart though, it intrigued me. What was all the fuss about? What was up with the attachment the boys - regardless of age, have with this place? Why this desperate need for me to go see what at the end of the day, is a school?

I think for once, my pictures will speak more than my words... but then I don't really think my pictures did justice capturing the elaborance, serenity and magnanimity of it all. From the grand enterance to the grand main building to the grand golf course to the grand everything - this place was grand!!! I'm not sure I've said it enough...grand!!!

The students were home on holiday so I was given a VIP tour around every single inch of the huge school campus and its premises. I visited the dorms, the class rooms, the guest house, teachers quarters blocks, learnt of the history, the admission process, the uniforms, the prices and all the tons of amazing facilities this school had from horses and stables, indoor and outdoor pools, basketball and squash courts to cricket and football fields. Awestruck and dumb founded, my jaw hit the floor. I felt like I didn't have a real schooling and all this made me want to go back to school immediately or have that lie of convenience turn into a truth immediately, so that my (fictitious) son could be schooled there and there'd be no debate about it, since his (equally ficticious) Jaipuri father would certainly be a 3rd/4th generation Mayoite too! I was suddenly oh so envious of all my friends who studied here!!!

I was told of stories, mischief the boys got up to, the naughtiest batches and I visualised it all as we passed by peacocks and squirrels on the numerous, extensive and impeccably manicured gardens and lawns. I even sat on that famous marble bench that every Mayo boy will know of.

I was really thrilled all my Mayoite friends pushed me to go visit it, dissing my whole 'but its so random' attitude. I now get why they are so attached to it, why they talk of it so fondly, why they are like a secret brotherhood, why no matter what - their children will always follow suit and be admitted there; why they boast of being a 5th or 6th generation Mayoite, why they have so much pride. I left Mayo thoroughly impressed, my Mayoite friends all gloating and beaming as my phone beeped non-stop with curiosity, during and after the visit.

I stood corrected - this certainly wasn't 'just another school'. Besides the obvious beauty, it was these 3 hours that seemed to transcend all dimensions of time. The past kept flowing in and out of an imaginary future, as I breathed in the cool, fresh air, alive and totally aware in every moment of the now.

So if you're in Ajmer, do go visit here too - trust me you won't regret it, especially if you have someone like Ripudaman Singh to show you around, like I did. And if you have a son, you should seriously consider sending him here to Mayo, he'll thank you and me for it.

😝The Calling...

I awoke with a heart beating with a combination of excitement and nervousness. Today was the day I would do something I have been wanting to do for a while. Today was the day I would strike another thing off my bucket list. Today was the day I was going to do the only thing I had planned to do on this trip to Rajasthan. Today was the day of my calling.

They say (and I quote the Qawwali sung right there at this magical site), 'Man ki Muraad paate hai Khawaja ke sheher mein. Taqdeer wale aate hain Khawaja ke Sheher mein. Irade roz bante hain aur ban ke toot jaate hain. Wohi Ajmer aate hain, jinhe Kawaja bulaate hain. Mujhe aapne bulaya Khawaja, yeh karam nahin toh kya hain...'
(Roughly translated: Wishes are granted in the city of Khawaja. Those that are lucky/destined to, come to the city of Khawaja. Intented promises are made daily and broken after they are made. Only those that are summoned by Khawaja, come to Ajmer. You have beckoned me Khawaja, what is this if not fate..)

And this city of Khawaja, is called Ajmer. Today, I was going to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah. As most people believe, no matter how badly you want to go there, how hard you try or how long you have waited to go there; until you get a 'bulawa' (calling from Khawaja Sahib or the Holy Forces that be) - you will just not be able to go there. He calls you when the time for you to visit is right.

Now I'm far from religious or superstitious, but this I do believe, as I have experienced it myself many times. The timing of Islam re-entering my life, sufism making a sudden entry into my life through magical ways, this entire spontaneous trip, friends I hadn't had contact with in a while, popping out of nowhere, offering me help with places to stay, people to connect with, people taking to me as if they've known me forever, strangers throughout being so loving, helpful and kind to me - no matter how rich or poor, Ajmer being en route from my 'accidental' Udaipur detour to Jaipur etc etc was nothing short of miraculous.

Everything just fit and kept falling into place too perfectly - like the pieces of an intricate jigsaw puzzle that I was only just beginning to have a tiny glimpse of! It really felt like all the forces of the Universe collected to bring me here, at this time, on this day. So I accept that I am a child of the Universe, open to spirituality, open to the belief that certain things cannot be explained, but I will not give into the trappings of religious musts and must-nots, because those are all man made to instill fear in the hearts of men and not allow any place for logic or intelligence.

My now dear friend Jay, set it all up. Right after breakfast, a rickshaw picked us up. Our approach to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah left me amazed and amused- the streets are so narrow, I was unable to fathom how they were used as 2 way streets. The rickshaw stopped at a certain point and we had to get out and walk. The streets were SO crowded, it was crazy!!! In my mind, I had imagined this to be a very quiet, remote place in the middle of nowhere - much to my surprise, it turned out to be the exact opposite!

We walked amongst what looked like thousands of people and met our Khadim. We picked up baskets of offerings and my journey to my 'Bulawa' thus began. He took us in, guided us around the place, told us what to do and I even got my own special time to sit and do dua and say special prayers for a whole list of people. I had actually spent the past couple of days writing down names of people in my diary and ended up with 4 long pages of names to read out. Some that knew I was there asked me to do dua for them, but most people didn't know where I was and that I did dua for them too. I also said a little prayer for everyone in the world, known and unknown to me; I asked for forgiveness for the times I may have hurt any form creation, in this lifetime or past, intentionally or unintentionally. And above all else, I forgave myself. For the numerous times I actually caused my own self pain.

Forgive me for not adding more details about the magic of this place, what I did there and the unexpected miracle I experienced after, as I believe that is something deeply personal between Khawaja Sahib and me. That is also why I am not attaching many photos to this blog.

But I shall end with dua for you all and express my gratitude to each one of you that follows me, supports me and reads my blogs:
'May He shower his choicest blessings upon you, may your life be filled with endless love and peace. May you have good health and share your happiness with the lives you touch - be it for a fleeting moment or a lifetime.'

The approach to the Ajmer Sharif Dargah.

My dearest Jay and me...

Fort to Palace...

No one bothered me as I walked up, down and around Kumbhalgarh Fort. I felt safe, I felt happy, I had time and literally the whole Fort to myself! Best of all, I was actually in the moment, breathing for each moment. They say when you start enjoying your own company like that, is when you need to start being careful. That's when you can risk crossing the thin red line and become a loner. I don't quite agree though. I think its very important for us to have these moments with ourselves. Doing things or standing up for yourself doesn't make you selfish; spending time and enjoying your own company doesn't mean you will never like spending time with anyone else. Besides, we are all loners to some degree aren't we?

Time to move forward. The highway was beautiful - great roads, no traffic, I wished I was driving a Range Rover or an Audi Q7. It'll come someday - some kind soul will hand me the keys and say 'here you go, a small present for being you'. And I'll say 'What?!? Thanks but no I can't'. And they'll say 'it's already been registered in your name, you deserve it'. And I'll be gobsmacked, we'll go back & forth but eventually I'll accept it. Yay, that day just can't come soon enough, but the day-dreaming comes... to a standstill just like the car I'm in does.

Welcome to Deogarh. One narrow street full of cars, people, bikes, dogs, cows and mini tempos with shops lining either side, leads me to my destination. The most vibrant colors burst around and above me. It instantly brought a smile to my face. As I observed all of this and more, we started moving towards the ever so magnificent Deogarh Mahal.

A kind friend & music producer Raajeev Sharma suggested I go stay there and meet with his friends, the Deogarhs. It was a great recommendation. A perfect place to relax. I was given a suite which had the oldest paintings (left untouched) in the whole Palace. The whole Palace (despite being so huge) has such an ease about it, it made me feel right at home. I loved that the chef decided what I should eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner - keeping all my likes/dislikes in mind. He would run it past me daily and I was more than happy to just say yes - saved me the effort of going through a menu and making a decision. One less thing to think about. And this time, as I looked out of my balcony at the hills on the horizon, way beyond the borders of this town, I felt like a different kind of Princess - one that was more comfortable with the idea of this being her Royal 'home' rather than a Princess that was overwhelmed and excited by opulance, grandeur & sparkles. This Palace just had a special, loving, quaint, homely aura about it.

I was very well looked after by the Deogarhs. I was shown around the Palace, met with the very sweet and lovely Queen Mother and thoroughly entertained by the wit, jokes and deep, magical conversations we all had with each other. Shatrunjai, Bhavnakumari and the kids took me around and beyond Deogarh, showed me different parts of it, explained a lot about its history, the people, wildlife and even took me to a very, very special spot - for which I shall be eternally grateful. They were so warm, hospitable and took such great care of me, I felt like a part of their family, like we'd been friends for years.

The landscape around was just so bare. A few rocks, cactii, shrubs & trees. It literally had nothing else. Yet I was nothing short of mesmerised. There was a beauty in it that I couldn't put my finger on. It had such a magnetic pull, I was deeply attracted to it. And all I could think of was shedding. Shedding and letting go. Releasing. Being as bare & barren as this desert, this landscape. Stripping down to the basics, the essence. If people want to be around me, they will - I will not run after them. I will release them with gratitude, love and peace. I will not run after work. I will not run after all the things I think I want. I will do everything within my capacity to make things happen, let people feel loved etc but after that I will let go. What's meant to be will be, there is only so much I can do. Accepting that, was a release in itself.

So, I let go... of everything. I shed all that was unnecessary, all that was not beneficial or of any use to me - feelings, thoughts & emotions like guilt, fear etc. it was a conscious decision and quite a struggle. But I did it. And instantly, I felt much lighter. I was just being. And breathing. And being. And breathing.

Deogarh turned out to be a very spiritual experience for me on many levels. Special conversations, special energies in very special spots and I was like the driest sponge soaking it all in to the very depths of my being. This was a true blessing. And the start of a blessed journey...

The single lane with 2 way traffic, mini tempos, bikes, shops, colors...

...people, cows, bicycles leave you fascinated!!

The Grand Entrance

My Suite

My bedroom which has the oldest paintings in the Palace, that have been left untouched. So much history, gives you a special warm feeling. This picture really doesn't do it justice...